Separation anxiety is a term used to explain a feeling of anxiety or stress when you are away from your parents/family/guardians, for example, when you are at school. You may find that you worry a lot when your parents or guardians are not with you or when you are away from your home. This will affect how you act towards other people when you are in certain places such as school. You may only feel comfortable and stop worrying when you are at home or with your parents/guardians. You may also feel afraid of going to sleep alone and when you do get to sleep, you may have nightmares about being apart from your parents/guardian. You could sometimes have a tummy ache or headaches when you are away from your parents and you may also create stories, like saying that you don’t feel well to avoid being away from your parents or your home. Sometimes, you might worry about what could happen to your parents when they are away from you. These can sometimes be really horrible thoughts such as them being in an accident. It is important to remember that although these thoughts are horrible, it doesn’t make them true and that you are not on your own in feeling this way – many other people experience these types of feelings too!

Do you start to panic or feel ill at the thought of being away from your parents?

Do you constantly worry when you are away from them?

Will you lie about feeling ill so you don’t have to go somewhere without your parents?

Do you sometimes have trouble going to sleep if you are alone?

If you can answer “yes” to any of the above questions, you may be experiencing separation anxiety.

Separation Anxiety Information Video

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